2014 participants
Catriona Waktare
Previous research has found that individuals are more cooperative when they are being observed. Furthermore, exposure to eye cues makes people behave cooperatively even when they are in anonymous situations. Many studies also show that people act cooperatively and are willing to punish free riders (i.e., people who are less cooperative than others). Non-punishers benefit when free riders are punished, making punishment a group-beneficial act. This research hopes to observe an interaction between eye cues and subsequent punishment behaviour. We also propose that there could be an effect of the specific eye cues eliciting different behaviours.
Funding source: Newcastle University